Brent Corallied Sees Obstacles as Advantages

Brent Corallied Sees Obstacles as Advantages

It’s always interesting to see how different people approach the New Year. Some resolve to stop bad habits or start goods ones, such as getting to the gym at least twice a week. Then they promptly forget these resolutions on or before Super Bowl Sunday.

Others take the cautious approach – one day at a time – and may or may not improve their lives in the process. For the CEO of Sting Soccer – Brent Coralli – the beginning of a new year is ripe with possibilities, some of which are counter-intuitive.

“I thought the headline on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on January 2, 2014: ‘A Few Brave Investors Scored Huge, Market-Beating Wins’ was illustrative for anyone making plans for 2014,” Coralli noted.

“The essence of this article involved a few investors realizing huge financial gains by not following the rest of the investing crowd. In fact, many of the most lucrative investment moves in 2013 required going against the prevailing wisdom. This does not surprise me in the least. In fact, this has been my approach in business since I began.”

Brent Coralli is an entrepreneur and as such he researches the options, takes chances and builds businesses. His approach to being successful in the coming year – in business, sports and life – involves taking advantage of counter-intuitions. This is also the approach of many of the case examples outlined by writer, Malcolm Gladwell in his best-seller: David and Goliath.

Turning Conventional Wisdom on its Ear

As the author of such seminal books as The Tipping Point and Outliers, Gladwell has made a career out of taking reams of data and converting it into riveting stories about real people. In his latest book – David and Goliath – he challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages.

“How we deal with these challenges that life throws at us is what this book is all about,” Coralli notes.

“Whether you think Gladwell is too simplistic or uses samples that fit his theories, he is a master at telling great stories.”

Reviewers have chronicled how the author turns conventional wisdom on its ear. In the numerous anecdotes of this book, showing the unlikely triumphs of the weak over the mighty (i.e. David over Goliath), reveal that it’s not unlikely at all. In fact, some disadvantages can be advantages.

“While it might be a coincidence that 12 of the 44 men who became President of the United States lost their father at an early age, as noted in the book, but this tragic event could have galvanized the will and the ambition of these leaders,” Brent noted.

“The dyslexia suffered by entrepreneurs Richard Branson and Charles Schwab, discussed in the book, forced them to work harder and develop ways to overcome the disadvantages of this condition. This is a valuable lesson for the young women who join our club. Everyone must deal with challenges, disabilities or disadvantages but it’s the manner in which we face and overcome them that is the difference between winning and losing,” Brent concluded.

Resolutions for 2014

Given his competitive nature and willingness to confront obstacles, what types of resolutions can we expect from the CEO of Sting Soccer and VOLA apparel? Perhaps winning another National Championship is on the list?

“Of course we would love for Sting Soccer to win another National Championship, making us the only club in the United States to have won that many,” Brent notes.

“However, attaining this type of goal involves meeting multiple objectives and these can’t be met with a simple resolution. We must continue to build our business infrastructure so that we can sustain our organization. We must support our excellent coaches and staff so they can be the great teachers they are. Most importantly, we must constantly instill a sense of dedication to overcoming challenges in our young players.”

What are your goals for 2014? Have you overcome challenges or disadvantages and come out on the other side stronger? Tell us about these by posting a comment below and we’ll share with our readers. Don’t let any obstacle stop you this year. It could be an advantage.